Freight car construction



P. E. FINGER FREIGHT CAR CONSTRUCTION June 11, 1940.

Filed NOV; 23, 1938 2' Sheets-Sheet 1 June 11, 1940. P. E. FINGER FREIGHT CAR CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ll'llll Filed NOV. 25, 1938 ll. A

- //V/Mroe. A

1/15 4r TOEA/EKS Patented June 11', 1940 7 UNI-ma STATES PAT ENT ,omcg I 2,204.3

Standard Railway Equipment Manufacturing Company, New Kensington, Pa. ,a corporation of Delaware Application November 23, 1938. Serial No. 241,922

' 14 Claims. -.(o 1.--1o5-404) This invention relates principally .to railway Tfreight cars of the type having a metal roof and Wooden side plates. .It has for its principal' ob .jects to better provide for the support and attachment of the roof at the side. plates, to conform the eaves portions of the roof as closely as practicable to the established tun'nel'clearance outline so as to afford .maximumheadroom and maximum loading'capacity, to provide for covering and protecting the upper portionsof the side walls of the car, and to provide for simplicity and cheapness of construction and increased. strength and rigidity at the eaves. The invention consists in the construction of parts andarrang'ementsand combinationtof parts hereinafter described and claimed. y g

In the accompanying drawings, which form part ofthis specification and wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur,

Fig. l is a plan View ofa portion of a freight car. embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the roof on the line 2-2 in Fig. l, y

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross section through the car at one-of the side plates on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Figs. 4 and 5 are cross-sections similar to Fig. 3

on the lines 4-4-and 5-5 respectively, in Fig. 2, Fig. 6 is an outside side elevational viewof a section of the pressed metalstrip forcovering the top of the side walls of the car and for supporting the roof above said wall; and V Fig. 7 is a plan view-0f a portion of said strip. In the accompanying drawings, my invention is illustrated inconnection with a refrigerator car having side Walls comprising a wooden side plate -I at the top of each side wall and a. reinforcing metal angle 2- secured" to the bottom* of said side plate by a series of vertically disposed carriage bolts? Each sidewall also includes in-, sulating material 4, a wooden cleat 5,:woode'n v side sheathing 6, a wooden side fascia Land a metal flashing 8, alldisposedbelow the level of the top of the sideplate I.

v The roof illustrated in the drawings comprises metal roof sheets 9 that slope downwardly from the ridge to they side. plates of the carat a relatively low inclination and have raised fside marginal panels" I!) with upstanding seam flanges .ll along their outer edges. The seam flanges .of adjacent sheets are straddled by seam caps 12 that are secured thereto by horizontal rivets l3 and have outstanding base flanges l4 that rest upon the raisedsidemarginal panels I0 of said 11e t As .sh rn in th flawless fi sheet have. ribs l5 extending lengthwise thereof at a higher elevation than their side marginal panels l0 after the manner of the so-called neutral axis type of roof. The eaves end portions 911 and I2a of the roof sheets and seam caps, respectively,

slope downwardly over the side walls of the car at. a relatively steep inclinationapproximately equalto the slope of the established tunnel clearance outline X for car roofs abovethe side plates.

The roof sheets and seam capsterminate short f of the outer faces of the side fascia boardsfl,

the portions IZw of the seam caps are of reduced length and the roofv ribs ,l 5 mergeinto the bodies of the roofsheets, short of the steeply inclined eaves end portions 9a thereof.

I The above roof is supported on and attached 'to thetop of each side wall of the car by means. .of a pressed metal member A that extends longitudinally of said wall; and serves'to cover and strengthen the same. metal 'member or plate inclines upwardly {and inwardly over the top-of the car side wall and has a depending flange it that overlapsthe outer face of the wooden fascia. .The portion H. of said plate I that covers theside wall between theouter-faces of the sideplate and fascia, respectively, inclines .at approximately the same angleas the established tunnel clearanceoutline; and the portion 1l8 of said'member located inwardly of the rela .tively steep] portion "ll extends inwardly and upwardly, at a low angle corresponding to the slope of the roof sheets upwardly of the side me'mberA has portions 20 thereof depressed at longitudinally spaced'intervals to 568+? "fiatwise upon the horizontal top surface of the wooden "side plate, and the bottoms of the depressions have; openings therein for the vertical bolts, 3, ,Whoseheads are accommodated in said recesses. The member A 311501135 portions thereof depressed at longitudinally spaced intervals to form angular pockets 2| whose vertical side walls. bear flatwise against the outer face of the side plate and have horizontal holes therein for the horizontal bolts 19, whose heads are disposed therein entirely below thefupper surface of the relatively steep portion I lcf said member. The innerniarginal portion of the member A is off-set upwardly as at -22, to form seats for the'raisedside marginal metal resulting from the depressed portions 26 of said member is utilized to form down-turned flanges 23 that overlap the inner face of the side plate opposite said depressed portions. lhe horizontal bolts 59 are preferably located beneath the roof seams; and two vertical bolts 53 are preferably located between seams, the eaves ends of the roofsheets and'seam caps are secured to the relatively steep portion l? of the member A pref erably by means of rivets 2d.

The construction hereinbefore described has several advantages. The eaves portions of th'e roof closely follow the established tunnel clear ance outline and thus enablesuch portions to be located as high above the 'rai lsas jtl'ieclearance outline will permit. The plate member A covers and protects the entire top of the side car wall, including the side plate insulation, "cleat, side sheathing and fascia and provides adequate sup-.-

port for the eaves ends of the roof sheets which are rigidly secured thereto. Said member is secured to side plate by both vertical and horizontal bolts whose heads are covered and protected by the roof sheets; and the depression for the bolt heads form. flat bearing surfaces for said member both at the top and the outer side of the side-plate. Said member also overlaps the outer face of the fascia and the inner face of the side plate and thus tends to prevent relative sidewise movement thereof and the parts therebetween.

What I claim is:

1. In a freight car construction, wooden side plates, metal cover plates having portions seated on the tops of the respective side plates and portions extending outwardly therebeyond, and a metal roof spanning from side plate to side plate with its eaves end portions supported on, and secured to the outwardly extending portions of said metal plates beyond the outer faces of said side plates, the outwardly extending portionsof said metal plates and the eaves end portions of the roof supported thereon and secured thereto being inclined downwardly and outwardly beyond said side plates at an angle approximately equal to the slope of the established clearance outline for car roofs above the eaves thereof.

2. In a freight car construction, wooden side plates, metal cover plates having portions seated on the tops of the respective side plates and portions extending outwardly therebeyond, and a metal roof spanning from side plate to side plate with its eaves end portions supported on, and secured to the outwardly extending portions of said metal plates beyond the outer faces of said side plates, the outwardly extending portions of said metal plates and the eaves end portions of the roof supported thereon and-secured thereto being inclined downwardly and outwardly beyond said side plates at a relatively steep angle approximately equal to the slope of the established clearance outline for car roofs above the eaves thereof, the portions of said metal plates and said roof located inwardly of their steeply inclined portions being disposed at a relatively low downward inclination above said side plates.

3. In a freight car construction, wooden side plates, metal plates having portions supported on the respective side plates and portions extending outwardly therefrom, and a metal roof spanning from side plate to side plate with its eaves end portions supported on and secured to the outwardly extending portions of said metal plates, the eaves .end portionsof said roof and the outwardly extending portions of said metal plates being inclined downwardly at an angle approximately equal to the slope of the established clearance outline for car roofs above the eaves thereof, said metal plates having depressed portions that seat on the tops of said side plates and depressed portions that bear against the outer faces of said side plates, bolts extending vertically through said side plates and said metal plates with their heads seated in said first mentioned depressed portions, and bolts extending horizontally through said side plates and said metal plates with their heads seated in said second mentioned depressed portions.

4. In a freight car construction,'wooden side plates, metal plates having portions supported on the respective side plates and portions extending outwardly therefrom, and a metal roof spanning from side plate to side plate with its eaves end portions supported on and secured to the outwardly extending portions of said metal plates, the eaves end portions of said roof and the outwardly extending portions of said metal plates being inclined downwardly at a relatively steep angle approximately'equal to the slope of the established clearance outline for car roofs above the eaves thereof, the portions of said metal plates and said roof located inwardly of their steeply inclined portions being inclined outwardly and downwardly at a relatively low angle,

said metal plates having a series of depressed portions spaced apart longitudinally thereof that seat on the tops of said side plates and a series of depressed portions spacedapart longitudinally thereof that bear against the outer faces of said side plates, bolts extending vertically through said side plates and said metal plates with their heads seated in said first mentioned depressed portions, and bolts extending horizontally through said side plates and said metal plates with thelrlieads seated in said second mentioned depressed portions'.

5. In a freight car construction, wooden side plates, metal plates supported on the respective side and a metal roof spanning from side plate to side plate with its eaves ends supported on and secured to said metal plates, the outer side marginal portions'of said metal plates and the portions of the roof supported thereon being inclined downwardly and outwardly at an angle approximately equal to the slope of the established clearance outline for car roofs above the .eaves. thereof, said metal plates having depressed portlons that seat on the tops of said side plates and depressed portions that, bear against the outer faces of said side plates, bolts extending vertically through said side plates and said metal plates with their heads seated in said first mentioned depressed portions, and bolts extending horizontally through said side plates and said metalplates with their heads seated in said second mentioned depressed portions.

6. In a freight car construction, wooden side plates, metal plates supported on therespective side plates and having depending flanges along their side edges and a metal roof spanning from side plate to side plate with its eaves ends supported on and secured to said metal plates, the outer side marginal portions of said metal plates and the portions of the roof supported thereonv being inclineddownwardly and outwardly at a relatively steep angle approximately equal to the slope of the established clearance outline for car roofs above the eaves thereof, the inner marginal portions of said metal plates being inclined outwardly and downwardly at a relatively low angle, said metal plates having depressed portions that seat on the tops of said side plates and depressed portions that bear against the outer'faces of said side plates, bolts'extending vertically through said side plates and said metal plates with their heads seated in said first mentioned depressed portions, and bolts extending horizoni tally through said side plates and said metal plates with their heads seated in said second mentioned depressed portions.

'7. In a freight car construction, wooden side plates, metal plates supported on the respective side plates and a metal roof spanning from side plate to side plate with its eaves ends supported on and secured to said-metal plates, the outer side marginal portions of said metal plates and the portions of the roof supported thereon being inclined downwardly and outwardly at an angle approximately equal to the slope of the estab-' lished clearance outline for car roofs above the eaves thereof, said metal plates having depressed portions that seat on the tops of said side plates and depressed portions that bear against the outer faces of said side plates, bolts extending vertically through said side plates and said metal plates with their heads seated in said first mentioned depressed portions, and bolts extending horizontally through said side plates and said ,metal plates with their heads seated in said seceaves end portions supported on and secured to i said outwardly extending portions of said metal plates outwardly of said side plates, the eaves end portions of said roof and the outwardly extending portions of said metal plates being inclined downwardly and outwardly beyond said side plates over the tops of said side sheathing and fascia boards at an angle approximately equal to the slope of the established clearance outline for car roofs above the eaves thereof.

9. In a freight car construction having wooden side plates and side sheathing and fascia boards disposed below the level of the tops of said'side plates, metal plates supported on the tops of the respective side plates and extending outwardly therefrom over said side sheathing and fascia boards, and a metal roof spanning from side plate to side plate with its eaves end portions secured on and supported to said outwardly extending portions of said metal plates, the eaves;

end portions of said roof and the outwardly extending portions of said metal plates being inclined outwardly and downwardly at an angle approximately equal to the slopeof the established clearance outline for car roofs above the eaves thereof, said metal plates having depending flanges along their outer margins that overlap the outer faces of the fascia boards and flanges along their inner margins that overlap the inner faces of said side plates.

10. In a freight car construction having wooden side plates and side sheathing and, fascia boards seated portions.

disposed belowthe level of the' tops of saidside plates, metal plates supported on thettopsiof the respective side plates and extending outwardly therefrom over said side sheathing and fascia boards, and a metal roof spanning. from side 1 plate to side plate with its eaves endportions supported on andsecured to said outwardlyextending portions of said metal plates, the eaves end portions of said roof and the outwardly extending portions of said metal plates being inclined outwardly and downwardly at an angle approximately equal to the slope of' the established clearance outline for car roofs above the eaves thereof, said metal plates having depending flanges along their outer margins that over- 7 lap the outer faces of said fascia boards and,

flanges along their inner margins that overlap the inner faces of said side plates, said metal plates havingdepressed portions that seat on the tops of said side plates and depressed portions that bear against the outer faces of said side plates, bolts extending vertically through said side plates and said metal plates with their heads seated in said first mentioned recesses,

and bolts extending horizontally through said side plates and said metal plates with their'heads in said second mentioned depressed 11. A metal car roof supporting plate having a downwardly and outwardly inclined outer side marginal portion disposed at an angle approximately equal to the slope of the established clearance outline for car roofs above the eaves thereof and an inner marginal portion disposed at a lower inclination, depressed portions adapted to seat upon the top of the side plate of the car and depressed portions adapted to bear against the side of said side plate.

12. A metal car roof supporting plate having a downwardly and outwardly inclined outer side marginal portion disposed at an angle approximately equal to the slope of the established clearance outline for car roofs above the eaves thereof and an inner marginal portion disposed at a lower inclination, depressed portions adapted to seat upon the top of the side plate of the car and depressed portions adapted to bear against the side of said side plate, and spaced from said first mentioned depressed portions lengthwise of said metal plate.

1 13. A metal car roof supporting plate having a downwardly and outwardly inclined outer side marginal portion disposed at an angle approxi- -mately equal to the slope of the established clearance outline for car roofs above the eaves thereof'and an inner marginal portion disposed at a lower inclination, depressed portions adapted to seat upon the top of the side plate ofthe car and depressed portions adapted to bear against the side of said side plate, and spaced from said first mentioned depressed portions lengthwise of said metal plate, said metal plate having a continuous depending flange along its outer edge and a series of depending flanges spaced apart along its inner edge disposed opposite said first mentioned depressed portions. l

14. A metal car roof supporting'plate having a downwardly and outwardly inclined outer side marginal portion disposed at an-angle approximately equal to the slope of the established clearance outline for car roofs above the eaves thereof and an inner marginal portion disposed at a lower inclination, depressed portions adapted to seat upon the vtop of the side plate of the car and depressed portions adapted to bear against the side of said side plate, and spaced from said. first mentioned depressed portions lengthwise of said metal plate, said metal plate having a continuous, depending flange along its outer edge and a series of depending flanges spaced apart along its inner edge disposed opposite said first mentioned depressed portions, the inner marginal portion of said metal being off-set upwardly opposite said second mentioned depressed portions, and the side plate engaging portions of said first and second mentioned depressed portions having bo-lt holes therein.

PAUL E. FINGER. 

